Lip-retractor.



F. SPURR.

LIP RETRACT OR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1915- 1 168 574. Patented Jan. 18, -19 16.

i realm sense, or sr. PAUL, Minnesota.

imam-aileron.

Specification of were lPatent.

Patented Jan.18, 1916.

Application filed March 20, 1915. Serialhl'c. 15,?"79.

. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of ll linnescta, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lip-Retactrirs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the production of a dental appliance, which isu'setul in treatment and surgical work commonly called oral surgery.

Since the advent of local anesthesia and the perfection of technio in dental practice, it has become necessary to hold the lips of the patient distended so that the practitioner can properly treat and operateupon the diseased part of the teeth or gums, and ithas been common practiceto employ an assistant for holding the lips distended. By the use of my invention the employment of an assistant is unnecessary and the lips are held widely distended in the most effective manner to suit the requirements andmake the work less irksoine to the surgeon. In the treatment of pyorrhea, abscesses and other operations involving a number of teeth, my invention is of consequent service and meets all requirements oi the casc'giving the operator full access to the area in volved with better light and a better View than is obtained in anyother way. There is nothing angular about the portion of the appliance catching hold of the lips or check to cause irritation or inconvenience, andthe parts of the invention are thoroughly sanitary by'being readily sterilized from time totime without deterioration. The construction also permits or the lilVGl'llllOl'l'lJt) ing easily adjusted and applied in use in substantially any position and at substantially any angle desired without inconvenieiice to the operator.

- din-the accompanying drawn'igv forming part ofthis specification hlgure 1 ma perspective of my invention illustrated applied in use to the head ot a patlent; Fig.2 13x3.

perspective ot my invention removed from the head of a patient; Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of a detail ot' the head band; Fig.

4- is a section taken on the line X.'X of 'which thelip retracting elements can both be used to hold-one of the lips, and Fig. 7

is a section of an-alternative construction of my invention. a I

r In the drawing A indicatesa flexible band made of thin material and having a broad bearmg surrace arranged across the :torehead of the patient. The band tapers to ward its ends and. the ends are provided "at the sides of the head of the patient with studs 1 to which the ends of a strap 2 passing around the back of the'head are secured to hold the band firmly on the forehead. The strap 2 is provided with series of pertorations 3 anda. clip l through which the c studs engage, so as to selectively hold the strap at proper length. When desired the strap can be provided between its ends with a. buckle 5,by which the lengthof the strap can alsobe lengthened or shortened, so that itis not necessary that the ends of the strap project beyond the studs to which they are fastened. Mounted upon the face of the band and extending longitudinallythereof is a guide or trackelement 6, said guide being secured bysoldering or other suitable means longitudinally on the band leaving its lon- .gitudinal edges 7 projecting freely and over which the base 8 of a clamp isengaged freey to slide longitudinally on the guide by turned in hooks 9. The clamp baseS is formed with a threaded stud bolt 10 through the body of which the shank 11 of a set screw passes longitudinally and is in threaded engagement said body being formed with a knurled head 12 by which it can be turned and its inner endadapted to bind against the guide when the shankll is set by turn ing downwardly. .lhe clamp basewislthus pins 15011 one member working freelyin corresponding openings 16 (1n .the other member.. These disks are adapted to clamp a'pair of upper and lower lip retracting elements l3 and C between them by. aset nut I 19, which is threaded over the threaded portion of the stud bolt 10. 1

. The upper and lower lip retracting elei'nents consist of apaircof arms 17 and l8,

each of which, is bowed outwardly between its endsytheiarnin17 being formed with a.

held in longitudinally selectedposition .on the'guideover the forehead ot'. the patient. i

hook on its lower end, over which an upper lip retracting bail D is secured. The lower'end of the lower lip retracting arm 18 is provided with a laterally extending screw 26. below which a lower lip retracting bail ,E is rigidly secured at any angle laterally desired. The adjacent faces of the disks 13 and 14 are formed with corresponding channels 28 through which the arms 17 and 18 pass, thedepth of said channels be ing only sutlicient to admit the arms and V with. the lips in retracted position.

prevent them from'n'ioving longitudinally out of a defined path, but nevertheless causing the disks to clamp the arms in selected position when the set nut 19 is turned down tightly. The upper lip retracting bail is in the form of a single loop .of wire bent into. an up and inturned broad hook portion 29, which engages below the upper lip and formedwith. an upwardly extending shank 30, which freely engages over the hook 20, whereby the upper lip retracting bail is suspended freely,so as to engage the upper lip of the patient with the least amount of irritation. The lowerlip retracting bail E consists of a single loop of wire bent into a down and inturned hookportion 31 presenting a broad bearing surface, and formed with an outwardly and downwardly extending shank 82, engaging below the binding screw 26 by which the bail is held rigidly upon the arm 22."

a In use the band A is strapped over the forehead of the patient with the arms'17 and 18 depending therefrom while held between the binding disks 13 and 14. These arms are. then adjusted with the bails D and E respectively engaged over and holding the lips of the patient distended wide apart. When adjusted'into position so that the lips are spread from over the area desired,-the set nut 19 is turned down tightly upon the disks, thus clamping the disks over the arms 17 and 18 and holding the bails arms Hand 18 it will be noted can be placed,

so as not to obstruct the area immediately over the space between the retracted portion of the lips, which might otherwise impair the operators view and access to the teeth or diseased part. When desired the adjacent faces of the disks 13 and 1 1' can be knurled as indicated in Fig.7. and grooves 28 not employed, the arms 17 and 18 being clamped between said knurled faces at any lateral angle desired, which the grooves 28 would otherwise prevent. The arms 17 and 18 being bowed outwardly between their respec- This collar is The 7 tive ends cause the arms to more closely conform with the curvature and irregularities of the face.

Vhen desired this invention either when slightly modified .or in the form described can be employed for holding the sides of a cut or the lids of an eye spread and I desire to have it understood that the invention is cured to the upper end at arm 18 by the collar 23 and to the upper end of arm 17 by the binding screw 24 engaging in the notch 35 in arm 17. In this position the bail D is hung from the hook 20 on armv 17 and the bail E secured in depending position from arm 18 by binding screw 24. I The arm 22 it will be noted is reversible so that the arms 17 and 18 can be changed in position either to the right or left hand side. 7 In accordance with the patent statutes, 1 ia-ve described the principles of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which 1 now consider to represent thebest embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown-is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth with in the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim asnew anddesire to protect byLetters Patent is:- 7 p 1. Alip retractor, comprising, in combination, a head band to be secured over the forehead of a patient, and having a guide extending longitudinally thereof, a clamping element mounted upon and secured to said guide, a pair of arms secured longitudinally thereof by said clamp depending from said guide, and bars carried by the lower portions of said arms and engaging the upper and lower lips of the patient to hold the'lips distended apart.

2. A lip retractor,comprising, in combination, ahead band to be mounted on the forehead of a patient to form a supporting element, an arm attached to said support ing element and depending therefrom, and a bail car "ied by said arm and engaging the lip of the patient to hold the lip in distended position.

3. A lip retractor, comprising, in combination, a supporting element adapted to be fastened about the head of a patient, a supporting arm extending from said supporting element, means for attaching said supporting arm to said supporting element, and

means detachably carried by said arm for engaging and holding a lip of the patient distended.

4. A lip retractor, comprising, in combi nation, a head band extending over the forehead of a patient and having a guide extending longitudinally thereof, a supporting ele ment slidably'carried by said guide, means for fastening said supporting element in position upon said guide, a pair of arms de pending from said supporting element, extensible means for fastening said arms in different extended positions, to said supporting element, and bails carried by the extending ends of said arms and engaging the upper and lower lips of the patient to hold them spread apart.

5. A lip retractor, comprising, in combination, a head band extending over the forehead of'a patient having a guide extending longitudinally thereof, a clamp slidably mounted upon and adapted to be secured to said guide, an arm longitudinally slidable upon and adapted to be secured to said clamp and a bail carried by said armhaving a hook portion forming a broad bearing surface and a shank portion by which the bail is secured to said arm, said bail being formed by a loop of wire.

6. A lip retractor comprising a supporting element to be fastened about the head of a. patient, and cooperating elements attached to and depending from said supporting element to engage andhold the lips in distended position.

7 A lip retractor comprising a supporting element to be fastened about the head of a patient, and cooperating elements adjustably attached to and depending from said supporting element to engage and hold the lips in distended position.

8. A lip retractor comprising a supporting element to be fastened about the head of a patient, and a pair of spaced cooperating elements adjustably attached to and depending from said supporting element to engage and hold the lips in distended position.

9. A lip retractor comprising a band to be fastened about the head of a patient, a pair of spaced cooperating elements to engage and hold the lips in distended position, and means for adjustably securing said cooperating elements longitudinally of and to said band.

10. A lip retractor comprising a band to be fastened about the head of a patient, a supporting arm adjustably attached to and depending from said band, a member secured to and extending at an angle from the lower end of said supporting arm, and means attached to said member for engaging and holding the lip in distended position.

11. A lip retractor comprising a band to be fastened about the head of a patient, a supporting arm adjustably attached toand depending from said band, a member detachably secured to and extending at an angle from the lower end of said supporting arm, and a bail removably attached tosaid member for engaging and holding the lip in distended position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK SPURR.

Witnesses:

STELLA L. 'WAscHENBERonR, F. S. BRADBURY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. C. 

